Jeonkyojo Chairman Arrested

Korean Teachers and Educational Workers Union (Jeonkyojo) chairman Won Young-mahn (49-years-old) was taken into police custody after being arrested at 3:30 p.m. April 2 on suspicion of leading the declaration of impeachment nullification and an appeal for support of the Democratic Labor Party.

Chairman Won was arrested during a scuffle with police officers on ambush duty on a street at Youngdeungpo-dong, Youngdeungpo-gu at around 2:30 p.m. while he headed to a certain place together with 30 members of the union.

Police said “Chairman Won recently took the initiative of a declaration of impeachment nullification and gave notices to members on the internet regarding support for the Democratic Labor Party for the general election on April 15. With these two matters, he violated official election law, prevention of injustice election law, and government official law.”

If his involvement in those matters is confirmed, police plan to file a warrant for his arrest.

Prior to the arrest, police announced that they sent a summons requesting their presence to 10 people, including 9 leaders such as Chairman Won and National Municipal Workers Union (Jeongongno) chairman Kim Young-gil, at 2:00 p.m.

Police said “Chairman Kim Young-gil, who is besieged in the office or on his escape, will be also arrested for the same suspicions.”

Kim Jung-kyu, the chairman of Kyungnam Branch of Jeonkyojo, was arrested by the Chungbu Police Station in Changwon, Kyungnam, and Sung Bang-hwan, the chairman of Chungbuk branch, was taken for an interrogation to the Seobu Police Station in Chungju, Chungbuk on the same day.

Jeonkyojo demonstrated after an urgent gathering of its members that day, requesting the acquittal of Chairman Won and executive members in front of the Youngdeungpo Police Station.

Hyo-Lim Son aryssong@donga.com